Wording help for attire!!!

Can you say something like "Church appropriate attire"?

I dont know if that will work since we are not getting married in a church. Will it?

Robyn, I have a feeling some people would think such attire appropriate when meeting the Pope, much less attending church. Some people just have no clue.

I like Robyn's suggestion.

I am putting Formal Attire in mine. I'm not so concerned about hoochiness as I am jeans and picnic wear. I'm sure most won't show up in long gowns and tuxedos but I at least want them to have on nice dresses and slacks...not halter tops and rompers with high heels! lol

I think it does. I think people understand what church attire is, and it is about the only way to politely say "don't dress like a hoochie!"

Are these close cousins? Can you talk to them individually regarding appropriate attire?

I had seriously considered NOT inviting my sister because of the same reason...she dresses like slut (hoochie is being nice)....

I would just put "No Casual Attire" on it. I am not putting anything on mine, in the hope that most of them show up wearing jeans. Its not that i want them looking scraggly, i just want them to be comfortable and anyone who has ever worn a suit knows its not comfortable. The only ones in suits will be the WP and they can take off the tie and jacket after pictures. Im fairly certain that once the three main dances are over, my groom and my dad will both be shedding their jackets and ties.

Michele M- They are close cousins and I will tell them,because like I said I am a very blunt person, I just wanted to put it in words on my wedding website.

Michele & J- my sister dresses the same way but she is in the wedding so I picked out what she is gonna wear!!

You could always write "Conservative dress" or "Elegant dress" or "professional dress"

or "modest dress".....

I put on my website to wear your sundays best,no jeans or tee shirts please and nothing to revealing!

I have found an effective strategy is to use the words "elegant" and "formal" on the invitation... and then to spread that meaning verbally to potential offenders. Or friends/family members of the offenders. Just mentioning what you are worried about to the appropriate people can go a long way :-) If you family is as chatty as mine, the message will be sent and received!

I'm of the camp there's really not much you can do, honestly. You can use these ladies' suggestions but someone who dresses like a hoochie to a wedding will think that is elegant and formal so I think it's going to fall on deaf ears. Just make your invitation look as formal as possible, and if your venue requires certain things for entry like a jacket, covered shoulders, etc, definitely state that somewhere in the invitation. Otherwise just spread the word and hope for the best.

Just be careful using the word "formal." There's actually etiquette around different types of "formal" attire, and you don't want someone getting confused and showing up in a tux or a morning jacket or something, that could be really awkward.

I said "church attire" when describing what people should wear when asked. Even if people don't go to church, they still know what the attire looks like.

If they're close cousins I'd be a little blunt by saying what you've seen them wear to weddings before is not okay for yours and if they could dress nice it would make everyone happier.

Hahaha love it! I think it is fine on the wedding website to put something like the ladies, dress appropriately, this is a wedding not a club! But if you want it to come off easy maybe add, "Men, suit up but leave the pimp hats at home or something. Otherwise, straight up talk to the offenders and make sure they dress right. Or get the family on it. OO maybe on the website say security will make sure appropriate attire is adhered to haha.

My friend had this issue and she told everyone semi-formal- one girl was the only one who stuck to her hoochie ways and wore the tiniest tightest little dress and she flashed everyone on the dancefloor her hoohah all night. It was embarrassing. But like Michelle said, hoochies will be hoochies unless you force them not to...

I'm with Kris... not a whole lot you can do without sounding rude. I'd just say "formal attire" or "cocktail attire" and tell the photog to avoid them, haha!

I agree with Kris and Leanna. Playas gotta play, hoochies gotta hooch.

Jamie- hahaha love your idea!! LMAO

Shannon- there is a time and place for playas to play and hoochies to hooch and a wedding is not one of them.

I'm not a fan of telling wedding guests what to wear unless you are going super casual or super-full-on-black-tie formal. They are the one that looks bad, not you.

And yeah, they are going to assume that short, tight, leopard print dress IS formal. So you won't do any good and you will just seem rude to those who know better and wouldn't dress that way anyways.